Dear Parents,
Welcome to Rocking Horse Nursery School.
This Parental Handbook has information included that will answer some of your questions during the course of the year.
You will find information pertaining to the following:
·
Statement of Purpose
·
Health Policy & Management of Infectious
Diseases
·
Calendar
·
Tuition sheet
·
Daily Schedules
·
School Policies
·
Referral Information
If you find you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to
ask us.
Phone: (508) 655-1451
E-Mail Address: RockingHorse221@aol.com
· NOTICE OF CHANGES
This handbook
may be updated periodically. Please check the website for newer versions. If there are any substantial changes in either fees or policies, you will be notified
at least 30 days in advance. All changes from the previous version will be underlined.
Our Statement
of Purpose
Our mission at Rocking Horse Nursery
School is to offer a developmentally appropriate, process-oriented program for all children ages 2.9 years to 6 years of age. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, cultural heritage, political
beliefs, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, or disability. We
accept children with developmental delays as long as we have the training and equipment to provide the best care for the child. We believe that children learn best through active play and exploration in a safe,
nurturing environment. Your child’s cognitive, language, social-emotional,
and fine and gross motor skills will emerge and grow at their own pace as s/he participates in a balance of child-directed
stimulating learning centers, small and large group activities, snack, clean-up time, toileting and hand washing assistance,
outside play, and a group meeting time with songs, games, and stories.
Rocking Horse Nursery School
Health
Care Policy
A.
In an emergency, refer to emergency information
chart next to the telephone for emergency procedures and phone numbers.
B.
In an emergency when parents cannot be
reached, call 911. If 911 finds it necessary the child will be transported by
ambulance to the hospital chosen by parents and noted on emergency card. Inform parents where child has been taken.
If parent cannot be reached, refer to child’s medical records and contact the person(s) indicated by parents
to take charge of said child. If none of the above can be reached, the staff member that accompanied said child to the hospital
would stay until parent arrives.
C.
If a child gets ill while the school is
on a field trip, it is our policy that one staff member will transport home and if it is an emergency, 911 will be called. Cell phones are always with us on field trips.
It is our policy to always have at least one parent or staff member following the school buses.
D.
The director is in charge of maintaining
first aid supplies.
E. If a child arrives in school, mildly ill, the parent/guardian should immediately be called to come for the child. The teacher should then bring the child, to a quiet area to await his or her parent/guardian.
F.
The school staff shall not hand out medication
as long as a signed consent form accompanies it from the parent, which indicates that the medication is for the specified
child. No staff member shall administer prescription medication to a child without
a written order from a physician, which should include the label on the medication that indicated the medication is for the
specific child, the dosage must be specified along with the number of times per day and the number of days the medication
is to be administered. Rocking Horse School will maintain a written record
of the administration of any medication, prescription or non-prescription. These
records will include the time, the dosage, the date and the staff member giving the dosage.
All medications shall be out of the reach of children and all unused medication shall be given back to the parent.
G.
Record child’s allergies on his or
her folder. A list with all children’s allergies is posted in each classroom. Avoid serving snacks that children will have an allergic reaction to.
H.
Procedure for reporting suspected child
abuse or neglect to the Department of Social Services is as follows.
1.
All staff shall report suspected child
abuse or neglect to the director.
2. The
director or classroom teacher shall immediately report suspected child abuse or neglect to the DSS and OCCS.
Management of
Infectious Diseases
Children do get sick, and
you, as a parent must plane NOW what you will do when your child cannot attend school. You
must also address the problem of having your child sent home from school if they become ill.
Below are the guidelines we follow regarding common childhood illnesses and diseases.
*Children diagnosed with any of the following diseases or symptoms will not be allowed at Rocking
Horse for the time stated below:
Strep Throat, Sinus infections, and Conjunctivitis- Children must be on antibiotics for a minimum of 24 hours
before returning to school, if your doctor prescribed an antibiotic.
Vomiting and Diarrhea- A child who has been vomiting or has diarrhea should not return to school until they
have been symptom free for at least 24 hours and are able to keep down solid food. Children
should have regained normal energy levels. If diarrhea seems to be chronic, please
check with your doctor to see if a stool test may be warranted to check for Giardia.
Colds and runny noses- Granted, if a child were restricted from school every time he/she has a mild cold or
runny nose, we might never see them. If however, the discharge from the nose
is green or yellow, that may be a sign of infection and they should not be in school.
If a child has a bad “croupy” cough, they should stay home. In
general, your child should have their full energy level. If they are not themselves,
please do not send them to school. It puts the teachers in the awkward position
of having to send your child home, when he/she may have been better off staying at home to begin with.
Fever- A low grade (100) alone should not determine the wellness of your child. Some
children can have a slight fever and be perfectly fine. If your child has a fever
of 100 or less and is robust and energetic, please use your discretion regarding sending them to school. If it is above 100 degrees, please keep them home until it is normal for 24 hours without Tylenol, Advil,
etc. Do not administer Tylenol and then send your child to school, as this can
mask important symptoms.
Chicken Pox- Children must remain out of school a minimum of seven (7) days from the onset of Chicken Pox. All blisters must be scabbed over before your child re-enters their school program. Parents should call the school immediately once Chicken Pox is confirmed so that we
can let other parents know. This disease can be life threatening for a chronically
ill child. You should also notify your town’s Board of Health of any outbreak
in your home. A director or teacher must check your child prior to being readmitted
to school.
Hepatitis A: Virus infection, for one week after onset of illness
and jaundice (if any) has disappeared or until immune serum globulin has been administered to appropriate children and staff
to the program within two weeks of exposure, as directed by the health department.
Measles: Four days after the rash appears.
Mouth Sores: in a child who cannot control his/hers saliva; unless
the child’s physician or local health dept. states the child is not infectious
Mumps: Nine days after onset of gland swelling
Pertussis: until five days of appropriate antibiotic therapy
has been completed
Purulent Conjunctivitis (Pink or Red Conjunctiva with white or yellow eye discharge, often with matted eyelids
after sleep, and eye pain or redness of the eyelid of skin surrounding the eyes): for 24 hours after treatment has begun
Rash: with fever or behavior change, until a physician has determined that
the illness is not a communicable disease.
Ring Worm: until after treatment has begun
Rubella: for seven days after the rash has appeared
Scabies: until after treatment has been completed
Tuberculosis: until the child’s physician or local health
dept. state the child is non-infectious
Children do not need to be excluded due to minor illnesses unless:
v They are too sick to participate comfortably in program activities
v They need more care than the staffing level allows
They have
unusual lethargy, irritability, persistent crying, difficulty breathing or other signs of possible severe illness
Injury Prevention Plan
Every morning
before school, each teacher will check their classroom before children arrive to insure that no toxic or hazardous substances
or items are within reach of the children. All such items will be removed or
repaired as needed. The director will check common areas such as, playground
and hallways and bathrooms.
In the
event of an accident with a child, the teacher on duty and who cared for the child will fill out an injury report form and
injury report log. The treatment that was taken will be listed on the form. The parents as well as the teacher will sign the form and a copy given to the parents. The form will then be placed in the child’s folder.
The director
will report and send a copy of the injury report to OCCS for any emergency situation.
Each time
we leave RHS, a first aid kit, cell phone, emergency contact cards and the emergency phone numbers for the police, fire and
ambulance are taken with us.
A central
injury log is kept in the hall under the first aide kit.
Rocking Horse Nursery School
2007-2008
School Calendar
September 5
School Opens
September 13
No School-Rosh Hashanah
October 8
Columbus Day- No School
November 12
No School-Veteran’s Day
November 21-25
Thanksgiving Recess-No School
December 14
Last day of school before Winter Recess Begins
Dec. 17- Jan. 1
No School – Holiday Recess*
2008
January 2
School Re-opens
January 21
Martin Luther King Day- No School
February 18-23
February Vacation Week- No School*
March 21
Good Friday-No School
March 24
Professional Day-No School
April 21-27
Spring Vacation-No School*
May 26
Memorial Day- No School
June 12
Last Day of School
June 13
Graduation/End of the Year Picnic before summer recess
*Sherborn Public School will be closed for Good Friday and Yom Kippur.
**If the Sherborn Public Schools are delayed ONE (1) HOUR due to weather conditions, Rocking Horse will follow
the same procedure.
**If there is a TWO (2) HOUR DELAY in the Sherborn Public Schools, Rocking Horse will be CLOSED FOR THE
DAY.
*We reserve the right to cancel school if we feel the roads are unsafe for travel. If you have a question on whether or not school is cancelled, it will always be recorded on our machine
at school by 6:30 a.m.- 655-1451.
2007-2008
Rocking Horse Nursery School
Tuition Prices
Rocking Horse School is
in session 10 months out of the year. Below you will find a tuition prices and payment schedule. The tuition prices are based on the number of days your child attends and which program they attend.
Primary Class
The Primary Class meets 3 hours a day from 9-12. Monthly tuition rates for the Primary Class are:
2 day program
$281.00
3 day program
$421.00
4 day program
$562.00
5 day program $702.00
Transition and Pre-k Classes
The Transition and Pre-k Classes meet from 9-2. Monthly Tuition
Rates for the Transition and Pre-K Classes are:
2 day program $468.00
3 day program $702.00
4 day program $936.00
5 day program $1,170.00
Payment Schedule
Tuition Payment #1 July 1st
Tuition Payment #2 August 1st
Tuition Payment #3 September 1st
Tuition Payment #4 October 1st
Tuition Payment #5 November 1st
Tuition Payment #6 December 1st
Tuition Payment #7 January 1st
Tuition Payment #8 February 1st
Tuition Payment #9 April 1st
Tuition Payment #10
May 1st
Rocking Horse Nursery School Policies and Procedures
Nutritious Food List:
At Rocking Horse Nursery School, we encourage healthy eating. A
small morning snack of some of the following items is served every day:
Ø Water
Ø 100% fruit juice
Ø Low sugar cereal (i.e. cheerios, rice chex, etc.)
Ø Light popcorn
Ø Assorted crackers (i.e. goldfish, graham, saltines and animal)
Ø Fresh fruits (i.e. grapes, apples, bananas, oranges)
Ø Fresh Vegetables (i.e. celery, carrots and cucumbers)
We enjoy helping the children celebrate special times (birthdays, holidays and special snacks that coincide
with our themes) and do not mind serving occasional sweet snacks.
For children who stay for lunch, parents are encouraged to pack a nutritious lunch for their child (i.e. soup, sandwiches, fresh fruits, crackers and milk or juice.)
DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP TIMES
AND PROCEDURES
Rocking
Horse offers an “early drop-off” program. The hours for this program
will be from 7:30 am-9:00 am. The cost of the program is $5.00 per half-hour. An advance notice of at least 24 hours is needed for us to staff accordingly.
Only children
who have paid for the “early drop-off” option are allowed in the school before 9:00. The regular school session begins at 9:00 A.M. Please
do not drop off your child before this time. The teachers use this morning time
to set-up classrooms and plan their day. Pick up time is at 12 Noon
for the primary class and 2:00 for the Transition and Pre-K classes.
In order
to avoid additional charges we ask that all parents be prompt when picking up their child.
Staff members cannot leave unless all of the children have been picked up. If
you are going to be late, please call the school and let us know. Consistent lateness (more than 2 occurrences) on the part
of any parent will result in an additional charge of $10.00 for the first 10 minutes and $1.00 for every minute after that.
Please
send a note in if your child is going home with someone beside yourself. If we
do not know the person, we must ask for a photo ID,
SCHOOL CANCELLATIONS
If the
Sherborn Public Schools are closed due to snow or ice, Rocking Horse will also be closed.
If Sherborn schools have a one-hour delay, Rocking Horse will also have a one-hour delay. If Sherborn schools have a two-hour delay, then Rocking Horse will be closed for the entire day.
If you have missed the announcements on television, you can call Rocking Horse, (508-655-1451) there will be a message
on the machine as early as 6:30A.M. to let you know if school is cancelled.
*Although
we do try to follow the Sherborn School, we do hold the right to cancel school if the forecasters are predicting inclement
weather that may make it difficult for our staff members to return home safely.
** Although
it is a very rare occurrence, we have in the past had to close school for the day to accommodate Pilgrim Church when there
is a funeral. It is out of respect for the families of the deceased that we do
this. You will be notified as soon as we are if this is going to be the case. We thank you for your understanding in this matter.
*** Five
(5) days have been allotted in our school calendar for cancellations. The school
calendar will be extended in order to make up for any additional cancelled school days.
BIRTHDAY
PARTIES: We
enjoy celebrating everyone’s birthday!! On the day of your child’s
birthday he/she will get to decorate a special birthday crown. If you would like
to send in a special snack that would be great!!! We do ask that you include
the ingredients when you bring in a special snack!! If your child celebrates
his/her birthday during the summer, please speak to your classroom teacher to schedule a “summer birthday party”
in June!
APPROPRIATE
DRESS: Please
send your child dressed for “PLAY”! We do a lot of “MESSY” projects and even though we try to be careful and us smocks, we do not always stay clean!
OUTDOOR
DRESS: The
climbing structure can be dangerous without the appropriate footwear! We ask
that you not send your child in with clogs or flip-flops. Also in the warmer
month, sandals can be cool, however we have found that the children wearing sandals spend the majority of their outdoor time
“emptying” sand out of them!! During the winter months we will utilize
the playground as long as the temperature does not go below 33 degrees. Due to
staffing we are not able to keep in any child who does not have the appropriate clothing needed to stay warm and dry. Please try to remember to bring in all necessary outdoor gear.
SPARE
CLOTHING: Please
make sure that your child has one full set of clean clothing (socks, underwear, pants and shirt) just in case your child needs
to be changed! It is the responsibility of the parent to make sure their child
has a spare set of clothing appropriate for the current season.
BATHROOM
TRIPS: We
make a group visit to the bathrooms once everyone arrives in class. We also do
a bathroom run before snack, which is anytime between 10:00 and 11:00. We will
emphasize to all the children that if they need to go to the bathroom at any time, they should just let their teacher know
and we will walk them down.
TOILETING POLICY: As stated in our Brochure all children must be toilet trained before
entering Rocking Horse. We do, however, understand that there will be an occasional
accident now and then. This is to be expected. If this does occur, we will call
you to come and pick-up your child so that you can change him/her at home. Rocking
Horse does not have changing facilities and Pilgrim Church has asked us NOT TO USE THE BATHROOMS FOR CHANGING PURPOSES. The Office for Children would require us to have properly appointed areas for changing
children that are not toilet trained. We do not have such areas, so therefore
the parent or appointed contact person must come and pick up your child.
DISCIPLINE POLICY
Our discipline
policy is as follows:
